Nevertheless, there are ways to keep your unit reliable and running efficiently when the weather is poor.
We at Huber Heights Heating & Cooling will examine some of those ways in this week’s blog post.
When to Turn Off Your Furnace And When Not To
When you are away from home for a while, or if you go on vacation, it’s always a good idea to turn off your unit, provided the weather isn’t too cold. It can save you cash on your energy bill.
However, during the colder months, we do not recommend turning it off entirely. When leaving your furnace off entirely during the winter, it’s much harder to get it back up and running again. Leaving it off is tough on your furnace. And then your pipes!
By keeping on at least a little heat, you will save your pipes from freezing. The customary rule of thumb or “temperature alert threshold” for freezing pipes is around 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Get Your Furnace Cleaned Out, Give it Space
When it comes to your furnace room, it’s always prudent to keep a five-foot perimeter of distance around your furnace. We suggest you take this precaution seriously because your furnace has a small fire inside it. That’s how it keeps your home heated!
In addition to maintaining that space, it’s also important to ensure the inside of your unit is clean. When you’ve had your furnace off for long a period of time, there’s a strong chance that it’s gotten dusty in there, especially if you haven’t had it cleaned in years. As such, this is yet another reason you ought to have a professional take a look at it before turning it on for the winter — to clean it out.
Annual Service Is a Must
In order for your furnace to remain healthy and stay running great for years to come, yearly furnace tune-ups are a necessity. If you have us come over for a tune-up, we run through a whole list of things requiring checked, cleaned, and given attention. We analyze the system’s voltage, the pipes, and we take a look at your filter to make sure it’s clean for the upcoming season, amongst other things.
When A Furnace Is Too Small
If a furnace is too small, it can debilitate itself and shut down. This leads to quicker failure times on top of insufficient heat. The easiest means to determine if your unit is too small is to turn up your thermostat and see how long it takes to achieve the correct temperature.
If A Furnace Is Too Big
Having a furnace that’s too big isn’t a healthy thing either. A unit that’s too large usually overworks itself concerning your comfort level. A typical symptom is when your house is getting hotter than the temperature you want it to be. An oversized furnace can also affect the ductwork coming from the furnace leading into the home.
When a home has a furnace that’s too big or too small, it’s usually from a previous owner or an improper installation. When we come out to install a unit, our expert HVAC technicians always take measurements to ensure we have the right size.
Make Sure Your Vents Are Clear
This goes hand in hand with keeping a clean or clear unit. You must keep things off of your vents. When vents become obstructed in any way, it can influence how the group gets air. It needs to breathe. If your furnace is unable to breathe, it will shut off completely.
If you continue to have any issues with your furnace this winter season, please call Huber Heights Heating & Cooling today at 937-226-9675, or schedule an appointment now at www.huberheightsheatingandcooling.com/schedule-now/.
